Landslide
by Fruipit
Summary: What happens to Toph to cause her to hide away from her friends and her position as Chief of Police for over 5 months? Non-romantic Taang
1. Expectations

**A/N: Okay, I thought of this story when a reviewer gave me a prompt to write about - denial. I thought that I could do one about Toph denying her feelings for Aang, and vice versa, but that's been done. So I had to think of an alternative, and I thought of this story. Actually, it's due to another fanon I read that gave me this idea - everyone, go check out All Fall Down, by DJNS. You'll probably see a few things that are very similar. I've tried to give this my own flare, though. Hope you enjoy, and don't forget to review~!**

**I own only the plot, 2 characters, the idea, theme and partial setting of this fanon. Nothing more, nothing less.**

* * *

Aang was dozing off. Politics were bad enough, but to be stuck inside all day with four old geezers was positively torture. He knew he had a duty to help lead Republic City, but when the issues of gang wars turned to cabbage imports, he couldn't help but begin to daydream. He found his mind wandering to Katara, who was at Kyoshi Island helping her brother and Suki deliver their third child, then to Zuko, who had recently sent him a letter that Fire Lady Mai was expecting, and that he would be honoured if the Avatar showed up to the naming ceremony a few months after the birth. Inevitably, as always happened in the longer, more boring meetings, Aang finally found his thoughts wandering where he definitely didn't want them to - Toph.

To say he was worried about her was an understatement. He hadn't seen her in over 3 months – surprising, since they were both on the Council – but he had still tried to visit her often. Every time he came over, the maid, Chihiro would send him away. The most recent venture into her home resulted in Chihiro demanding he leave, before begging him to help. Unfortunately, Toph overheard, and banned Aang from coming over. It wouldn't normally be a problem, be he was scared around the new Toph. Scared of her, and for her. She wouldn't eat, wouldn't sleep. Her friends had known that something was wrong for a while - the usually loud and obnoxious earthbender had become more and more withdrawn, her antisocial behaviour extending from weeks to months – but it was only at that moment that Aang realised how terrible things had become. This was over two weeks ago. At first, her behaviour could have been rationalised. She was angry, focussed, her temper was short. So, nothing new, really. But these changes quickly progressed to something worse. She was always angry, the sarcastic humour replaced by mean words and criticisms. It was at this time that Toph decided to take a leave of absence from the police force, citing personal reasons. Her colleagues would be lying if they did not say they were too upset about her leaving. Then, she shut herself away at home, dismissing most of the staff. She had kept one lady, Chihiro, to clean and fetch groceries. Aang felt terrible that she didn't want to tell him what was wrong, and he was upset that he hadn't had the time to visit her. Aside from Toph, he was the only one currently in Republic City.

In the twelve years he had known the earthbender, she had never hidden herself from anyone. Even when her father passed, Toph had carried herself proudly, refusing to show weakness. Even when Poppy Bei Fong had passed, Toph remained as stoic as ever, returning to work a mere 3 days after the funeral. But this, this was different.

Looking around the Council Chambers, Aang was unsurprised that she hadn't shown up to the meeting. Gang wars had begun to spike, the five-and-a-half months that the Chief of Police had been off were more than enough time to try and extend gang territory. He sighed as the delegates for the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom began debating import taxes. Aang stood up, gently clearing his throat. While it wasn't necessary for him to be there, he preferred to sit in the meetings so he could learn what was happening around the world - with Republic City still in its infancy, he couldn't travel as far or for as long as he used to.

"I apologise for interrupting, Council Members," he said sagely. "I feel my presence is not needed at this meeting any longer." The Council started, forgetting that the 24 year old had been sitting in the meeting.

"Well, the Chief's is! You can go and get her, now you have free time," the rather obnoxious ambassador for the Southern Water Tribe more or less commanded. Aang didn't feel like arguing that day - and he had every intention of finding out what was wrong with his friend.

"Good idea, Ambassador Kinoko. I will do that, and failing a return, I will ask her opinion on the matter," bowing slightly, he left the hall, already planning what he was going to say to Toph that would make her listen.

* * *

Lying in bed, Toph had absolutely no motivation to leave it. She knew she was being stupid, she knew she was worrying her friends, but she didn't care. She didn't care about them, and she didn't care about herself.

"Chihiro!" She called to her maid, the one person who had seen her in the three months of her leave.

"Yes, Toph?" In the first weeks of her employ, Chihiro learnt - painfully - that Toph did not like to be called "master", "madam", "lady" or any other honorifics that her position would generally grant her. If she were in an especially good mood, Chihiro could get away with calling her "chief" - that hadn't happened for quite some time.

"I want you to go out today. Have… fun. Do something. There's some money…" Toph racked her foggy brain; she couldn't for the life of her remember where she put the little jar of ever-dwindling funds.

"The money has been put in a jar above the pantry, Toph," Chihiro told her gently. "If you're sure you will be fine, I'll take my leave. I don't need any of the money." With a slight bow at her employer, Chihiro left Toph. Not that she liked doing it, but it would be worse if she stayed. Toph's independent nature occasionally shone through the crippling depression, and when that happened Chihiro knew that, for at least the day, the blind woman would be okay.

"I'll call back later," the maid promised. Toph barely acknowledged what she had said. Hearing the front door close, Toph summoned just enough willpower to roll off the bed and onto the floor, landing on her back. Being close to her element gave her a little more strength, and she managed to stand up. Chihiro had done a good job keeping the house clean, and Toph rarely left her bed. Walking into the small bathroom, she considered putting her hair up, but couldn't find the energy. She couldn't see herself, why should she care? It's not like she was going anywhere, and no-one was coming here. Sighing, she left the bathroom, barely a voiding walls and furniture as she attempted to navigate the large, empty house, not concentrating enough to see. As she walked through the foyer, she heard a light tap on the door.

"Chihiro? It's Aang, could I come in?" Toph stopped short, and turned to face the door. She was in no mood to entertain - she wasn't in any mood at all. She felt like a big empty shell. Walking to the door, she opened it slightly, peering her head around the frame.

"Chih-" the name was lost on his tongue as she heard a sharp intake of breath.

* * *

Aang was prepared to be told to turn away. Chihiro had never let him in, and probably wouldn't again. But he still had to try. Walking up to the door, he gently tapped on the door.

"Chihiro?" he could hear someone on the other side of the door. Maybe today was his day?

"It's Aang, could I come in?" The maid moved towards the door, opening it slowly. It really was his day!

"Chih-" he gasped. It wasn't the kind-natured maid who answered the door, but Toph herself. At least, he thought it was Toph. He could only see her face, and was shocked at the difference between the last times he saw her. Her round face had become sunken and sallow, her light green eyes which once upon a time was filled with light, were now harsh and cold. Even her hair had lost its shine, becoming limp and unkempt

"Toph…" he couldn't think of anything to say.

"What?" she wasn't grumpy or angry or upset with him. She wasn't… anything. All Aang could hear was how hollow his boisterous friend had become.

"Are you… okay?" He mentally shook himself. Of course she wasn't okay! Looking at her again, he noticed how withered she appeared.

"I'm fine. What business is it of yours anyway?" Perhaps if she had sneered, Aang would be more willing to leave her alone. As it was, she hadn't made a move to close the door, her head still poking from behind the wooden frame.

"Toph! We care about you, we're worried! The gaang misses you, I miss you. I miss talking to you. I don't know what's wrong, but something is. I want to help,'' he made to open the door a little wider, but he foot behind the door stopped him.

"I don't need your help. Despite what everyone thinks, I'm not helpless, O Great and Powerful Avatar," this time she did sneer at him, but the expression was quickly wiped as she took a small gasp of breath, her face rapidly changing to a sickly green colour. Without another word, she slammed the door in the airbenders face, covering her mouth with her other hand.

"Toph? Toph!" Pushing the door open, he followed the sickening sound of someone losing their lunch.

"Toph! What's wrong?! You can't say 'nothing' now."

She had her back to the door, and was kneeling in front of the toilet. He made to move towards her, but thought better of it, instead sitting at the entrance. He wouldn't force himself on her - she didn't even want him here. Instead, he would wait until she wanted to talk. When she finally stopped being sick, he expected her to turn to him, and demand he leave. To his shock, she didn't move, not even gesturing him to leave.

"Go away, Aang. I don't want to see you. I don't need your help. I don't want it; I'm fine on my own. I have been for the past 5 months," she took in several deep gasps, trying to calm her upset stomach.

"No, you aren't! Toph, I get that you like you're independence, but this isn't about that. You can still be independent, and let the people who love you… you can let them help you." Toph angled her head slightly, a lean to the left, partially facing the wall so Aang could see a fragment of her face.

"You can't help me. No-one can, I tried," even if he hadn't been focussing on what she was saying, it was impossible for Aang to miss the note of sadness, of defeat in her voice.

"Toph, will you please look at me? I won't judge you, nor laugh, no matter what has happened, okay?" Toph shift slightly where she was kneeling. Her back was still facing Aang, but he could now see the majority of her face. She sniffled slightly.

"Promise? Promise you won't judge me, or laugh or…" she trailed off mumbling the last part of her request under her breath.

"Pardon?" Aang requested gently.

"Don't… don't leave me…" He could see the tears rolling freely down her face.

"Toph, I would never! Can you please tell me what's wrong? Even if I can't help you, I can still support you."

She nodded slightly, her eyes resting shut as if blocking out the world. "Just close your eyes. Please."

Despite his now burning curiosity, he felt there was nothing wrong with complying with her request. Shutting his eyes, he waited patiently until Toph told him he could open them again. He could hear her moving, but was unsure what she was doing. Suddenly, Toph's arms were around his, hugging him tightly. Sitting on the floor, he could feel her torso against his as he hugged her back. Opening his eyes, he looked down at the blind girl, who seemed so fragile in his arms. Her skin had lost its clammy look, and her eyes no longer seemed so dead. He wiped the tears from her face as his eyes continued looking at her. She was heavier than he remembered - she must have put on a lot of weight; why was her face so thin? And her arms so spindly? Oh, Spirits…

"Toph, are you - are you…" he couldn't finish the thought and she silently nodded, tears cascading down her cheeks.

* * *

**A/N: So, how did my fans enjoy that story? I actually had a lot of fun writing it! I might make a part 2 but that's up to you guys, and your shower of love *cough* reviews *cough cough*. But seriously, thanks for reading, and I hope you liked it: D**

**The name Chihiro is from _Spirited Away_, a great Hayao Miyazaki film. Also, the title, _Landslide_, while being a Fleetwood Mac song (awesome), also suits it because Toph is an Earthbender, and I have a feeling that the news hit both of them like a tonne of bricks :D**

**I also understand that Toph isn't a person who gives into her emotions. I can already hear some OOC perfectionists arguing that she wouldn't have behaved that way. Well, let me counter with this:  
1. Toph is pregnant. If nothing else, her hormones will be going crazy, leading to a more temperamental, sensitive Toph.  
2. She has been on her own for approximately 5 months. That's gotta make anyone feel lonely, no matter who they are.  
3. She is suffering depression. That's part of the "denial" theme. She is in denial with her condition (pregnancy + depression). That changes people.**

**Anyway, little rant over, I hope you enjoyed it. Any suggestions you can make will be greatly appreciated.**


	2. Black Dog

**A/N: I have been up for over 7 hours writing this. It turned out a lot longer than I originally planned, so sorry, but I really don't want to cut anything out. It's all relevant stuff. Mostly. There is a bit of a rehash of the previous chapter, but from Toph's viewpoint. This whole chapter is all from her point of view. Also, I feel uncomfortable writing lemons, and I like having this story rated 'T', so that's the way it will stay. It's all implied, anyhow, so just use your imaginations.**

**NB: For those who are wondering about the chapter title, a Black Dog is a term, at least where I live, for depression.**

**I have been through and edited this chapter. For those of you who have already read it, the only major difference is Kya's age. She is now a precocious 5 year old.**

**Disclaimer: see previous chapter.**

* * *

If Toph were to try and describe the last few months of her life, the word 'hell' would have sprung to mind. She then would have laughed, a short, shallow bark that let you know exactly how pathetic the word really was, as 'hell' would have been a gross understatement in her opinion. Perhaps adding a few more adjectives, such as 'torturous' or 'twisted' would suffice, although it still would appear weak to the earthbender. The only word which she believed could sum up how she had felt was one she hoped never to think again - suicidal. She knew for a fact that if it weren't for the tiny, fragile heartbeat inside her, it was probable that she wouldn't be here. Then again, it was because of that little life she had been harbouring those thoughts. It was ironic, really, and if she had been in the right frame of mind, she would have found it rather humorous. It was because of the child growing within her that she felt like ending it all, but then it was only the little life inside her which stayed her hand. And she hated herself for it, for thinking such thoughts. The shame would creep into her mind, ensuring the never ending depression would continue in a cycle. It was caused by an external force yet continued by her own mind, and to her, it only succeeded in making her feel guiltier.

She had thought of asking her friends for help, especially in the beginning when she still had her whole mind, but they were busy with their own lives - she would only be a hindrance. That, and although she would never admit it, she was scared. Terrified, of their reactions. She knew that Katara and Zuko especially, being raised as they were, frowned upon children born out of wedlock. Although they never voiced it, Toph knew the type - she had been raised around them. Sokka would give her that pitying look, the one he reserved only for her after he had learnt of her... Infatuation... with him as a child. She couldn't see his face, but she hated the look anyway. Really, the only person who she felt had any chance of accepting it was Aang, and he was definitely too busy with Avatar things. Not to mention that it was he whom she was most afraid of being judged by. She knew it wasn't in his nature, but he was still just a man, a human being. He was her first friend, and she was ashamed of the predicament she know found herself in. She wouldn't be able to stand the pity he had for her. She didn't want pity, she wanted it to be over. Toph could remember, almost 5 months ago, the actions which lead to her current state. She also remembered just over 3 months ago, when she figured out the consequences of what she had done.

* * *

_It was supposed to be a quiet Sunday breakfast at Air Temple Island. Well, a breakfast at least - the quiet was optional when there was a screaming toddler in the mix. Well, Kya wasn't really a toddler, being almost five years old, but it was easier for Toph to not get attached - not want to get attached to her - when she thought of her as just a dependent baby. Toph always just shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips. She did love Kya, but she had no idea how Aang and Katara put up with her antics half the time. She was a loud, stubborn, confidant person. It reminded Toph a lot of herself; she giggled at this. The greatest earthbender in the world, stubborn and unyielding, couldn't stand to be around someone so similar in nature to herself. Toph could only spend a great deal of time with the girl if she were sleeping, or tired. Or really, really quiet; the precocious attitude became too much if she had to deal with her entire personality at once. Smiling, she questioned how the Avatar and his wife could be looking forward to yet another dribbling, crying, dependent human being. She preferred to throw herself in her work. It was dependent on her, but at least it didn't dribble. This week, the earthbender had been called into work, and judging by the wails of the five year old, still incapable of bending even though both her parents could, Toph was beginning to count herself lucky. She hadn't been feeling very well lately, and the last thing she needed was to hear a child vomit up food because she had cried too much. It wasn't her fault; emotions were running high on the island, from Katara being pregnant to Aang being overworked. Her own moodiness probably wasn't helping either. It had started several days ago, about the same time as a new vibration was picked up by her sensitive feet. Both of these lead to the earthbender being more temperamental and more likely to blow up at the littlest thing. She had no idea why she felt like that, and she personally didn't care. The plaintive cries of a small child probably would have pushed her over the edge._

_Arriving outside the headquarters, Toph had a reasonable idea what was wrong. After all, with all the new recruits, it kept happening. They learnt the secret to metalbending, and all of a sudden they thought themselves invincible. She was tired of it._

_"Who is it this time?" She asked wearily, sick of the problems the untrained metalbenders were causing._

_"Uh, a new officer called Qiang. He wanted to ask Mr Cabbage something, and accidentally locked himself in the interrogation room," the young recruit told her._

_"Yeah, I know Qiang. Good officer, mediocre bender," she told the messenger._

_"And one of the best. I should know, I trained him," she thought to herself._

_She didn't have any friends on the force (it was difficult when she was the boss), but she did consider Qiang closer than most - he was one of her first recruits. Despite not being the best at earthbending, Qiang had charisma that she just couldn't ignore. Sighing, Toph blew some hair from her eyes. She just wanted to go home, she didn't want to have to deal with this kind of rubbish at the moment. She was sick of the new recruits thinking that just because they could bend the handcuffs shut, that they were ready for bigger things. She was the master, she decided when they progressed to the more difficult forms. Marching away from the novice officer, she followed the vibrations to the third interrogation room, which was currently surrounded by close to 20 officers. She could feel them all, she knew exactly who was there, but she was feeling nice today. Well, she was feeling nice at the moment. From what she could hear, they were taking bets on what kind of punishment she would deal out. She smiled slightly that they knew her so well, but quickly frowned, marching into the middle of the group. She was vaguely annoyed that they hadn't realised she was there yet. Also, she could feel the gentle thrumming, as she had for the past few days, and as usual was unable to pinpoint the source. It was annoying her to no end._

_"Alright, lily-livers, you've had your fun. Get out of here!" The twenty-four year old yelled at her subordinates, shooing them away. They all promptly left, not wanting her temper focused on them - especially because they were gambling. About her. Sighing, she opened the door to the cell, just to come face to face with one of the more stranger sights. The ever volatile Mr Cabbage Man, or whatever his name was (she was Chief, she had more important issue to worry about than a lawsuit plus dangerous driving charge), was sitting, and talking, calmly discussing his options regarding his cabbages future._

_"...and he'll drop the lawsuit if I agree to change the wheels to prevent my cabbages from flying off?" She heard the old mans incredulous voice._

_"Yep," Qiang replied. "After they nearly hit poor Hiroshi, his father said as long as you make the vehicle slower, he didn't have a problem. He agreed that he should have been watching the boy more closely." Toph was impressed with the way her officer had handled the situation. Most of her men, had they been trapped in here, would be pulling the hair out of their scrawny faces by now. Not Qiang. He realised the futility, and put his entrapment to good use._

_"Ahem," she coughed to get his attention._

_"Chief!" The older man bowed to her, his knuckles facing one another in typical Earth Kingdom fashion. To his credit, she could feel his heartbeat speed up, knowing he should not be in the room, no matter how much progress was made._

_"When you finish here, come to my office. Sir," she addressed the other person in the room. "When Qiang is finished, you are free to go, but report back here a... A week from now. We can't just wipe that dangerous driving with cabbages from the record." With that, she turned on her heel, making sure to leave the door open. Qiang was impressive with his words, not so much with his bending. She retreated to her office, well aware of the shocked gazes following her._

_"Where was the punishment!?" Laughing to herself, she knew that more than half her officers would have lost a significant amount of money._

_Sitting down at her desk, she could feel the thumping again through the floor. Before she could try and locate the source, she was interrupted by a knock on her door._

_"You wanted to see me, chief?" His words betrayed no evidence that he was nervous, but Toph knew better. She could hear the anxiety in his voice, his heart was going so fast she thought he was going to havea heart attack. She smiled inwardly - it was always fun to torture her people._

_"What in the Spirit World made you think you can just waltz into an interrogation room and sort things out for yourself!" She sounded angry, but she was enjoying herself too much to add too much venom in her words. Anyway, any person who took initiative, especially around her tough and brisk manner was a good person in her book. He bowed to her, trembling profusely._

_"I apologise chief, it won't happen again," he sweated._

_"You better believe it won't happen again! I'm stripping you of your position," she could feel how horrified he was. She smiled, deciding that she had tortured him enough._

_"I'm stripping you of your position," she repeated. "Because I'm promoting you to my second in command! I need someone to run this place when I'm not here, and I like your style. You saw an opening and you took it. I'm proud. I fully expect you to take the initiative in the future." She offered him one of her rare, genuine smiles._

_The change was instantaneous. His heart didn't slow down, but it was lighter than it had been before, less erratic. She smiled again, before realising another heartbeat had entered her sight. It was a young one, and that above all else confused her._

_"Qiang, you didn't bring Saikhan into work again, did you?" She asked, fully aware that this heart didn't belong to the raucous 15 year old. She felt him shake his head._

_"No, ma'am, not after last time," he told her with a slight smile, remembering when he had accidentally encased his father in a mix of earth and metal. Toph was proud of him, and she had found the whole debacle hilarious. Shaking his head of the memories, Qiang moved slowly into the room, seeing how distracted she was - it was weird. Strange. Unheard of. Toph Bei Fong did not get distracted._

_"Are you okay chief?" He asked, before she shushed him with a wave of her hand._

_Moving from her chair, she sat on the ground, hands and feet placed firmly on the rough stone. She could feel her heart, Qiang's, and that of the unknown heart. Funny, it was a really small one, barely pumping at all. The last time she had felt a heart like this was when she had crossed the Serpents Pass, and that was years ago. Perhaps it was a small animal, she questioned. She then noticed the pattern. It was the same small thrumming she had been sensing the last few days, wherever she went. She realised she had felt the same pattern recently, whenever she hung around Aang and Katara. Especially Katara._

_"Oh, shit," the word slipped out, a whisper, startling her new apprentice. The Chief of Police he knew didn't swear either._

_"Toph? What's wrong?" He was comforting her as a friend now, not a colleague. Eyes wide, her face paling by the second, she stood up, avoiding the question. All at once, the joking demeanour she had sported until then was gone, replaced by a blank stare._

_"I'll see you later - I'll have a list for you to read. There are a few matters I need to take take care of first," she told him, all professional. If he was confused, he didn't show it, refraining from asking her what she had seen.. After that revelation, she just wanted to be alone to think about the implications. Once he left, however, she refused to dwell on what she had learnt. That was for home, she was at work. Anyone could just walk past and see her lose it - that was not going to happen, she vowed to herself. And so, she spent the next agonising hours setting up her affairs. She needed to take time off work. As soon as Katara found out she was pregnant with Kya, and now again with Bumi, she had ceased all bending and stayed home. Her pregnancies had worked out, so Toph planned to follow in her footsteps. At least this would explain the sickness she had been feeling, the earthbender thought. Writing out a list, Toph simply told Qiang to practise his bending, make sure the recruits did the same, and keep them in line. Really, unless the gang wars started up again, she didn't have to do much. Anyway, he was smart, he could figure it out. After that, she filled out a leave form. She had no idea how long she would be gone for, but perhaps she would get lucky, and someone would want the baby. Yue knows that she didn't. She didn't have the time to raise a child - she had never seen herself as the maternal type, and she wasn't going to change because there was a child currently growing inside her._

_Despite needing to stop several times to get her emotions under control, by the end of the day, all her affairs were in order. She just had to tell the officers. Walking out into the offices, she noted dully that Qiang was there._

_"Good, I don't have to tell him personally what's happening," she thought. Moving to the front of the room, she bent herself a platform, ensuring she would be heard, and listened to._

_"Alright! Listen up, everyone. Due to some unforeseen circumstances, I need to take some time off. It won't be forever, I'm fine, but I just need to have a short break. Don't worry, I'll still be around. Maybe. Any issues are to be addressed to Qiang, he is now in charge for the duration of my absence. Any questions?" She felt one of the newer officers raise their hand._

_"You," Toph pointed to the general area of the questioner._

_"Uh, why are you leaving chief? And when are you returning?" He dared to question what was on everyone's mind. Toph sighed; she knew the question would come up, but she couldn't accept what was happening to her yet - as if she was going to tell people she really didn't know._

_"I just need some time off." She told him as cheerfully as possible._

_"I'm going home now, Qiang, there are instruction on my desk," she addressed the acting Chief of Police. With a hearty wave, she lowered her platform and walked out the door before anyone had a chance to stop her. She didn't feel up to facing anyone yet, and even though she knew that Qiang would be plagued with questions, he wouldn't say anything about her small outburst earlier. As soon as she had left, she could sense the cacophony within the walls of the institute - she had been grumpy lately, half the officers would be glad she had left, the other half would be upset she put Qiang in charge. She no longer cared, though; Toph had only one thing on her mind._

_What am I going to do now?_

* * *

That thought had plagued her throughout the first trimester. What was she going to do? She had planned to tell Aang eventually, but every time he came around other house, she would lose the courage that she had been building up since the last time he visited. Eventually - inevitably - Katara left to go to Kyoshi Island to help Suki with her third child. It wasn't due for some months yet,however the previous one had been difficult, she knew, and as Toph hadn't told the water bender of her predicament, she had no reason to be jealous. It was only that Katara left as she had begun showing, the time where, had Aang still come around to visit, he would surely notice. As it were, being the avatar, training Air Acolytes and raising a child, he just didn't have time for her. And still, she made no effort to tell him.

By the time she got to her second trimester, a change had come over her. She felt closed in, she couldn't move. So what did she do? She sent away the servants, the guards, even her cooks. She only allowed one maid to remain, Chihiro, purely so she didn't have to leave the house. Toph was sick, constantly, and deep down she knew that something was wrong. She should feel elated, she should have a healthy 'pregnant glow', but all she felt was empty. This feeling was a gradual one, she barely realised what was happening until one day, she couldn't move. Wracked with pain she knew was in her mind, her sleeping pattern disintegrating into naps which prevented her from getting restful sleep, but also stopped the nightmares that plagued her. She had pushed everyone away, but all she wanted - needed, desperately - was a friend to hold her and tell her it was going to be okay. Even cursing the spirits for her predicament, yelling profanities until she no longer had a voice, had become a chore, until most days, she just lay in bed, ignoring the world, and the world ignoring her. She knew she should go back to work, she knew they expected her back, but she couldn't work up the courage to be seen outside. She had nothing to keep her company but her memories, and even then they bullied her into submission. Occasionally, she was lucid enough to think, but just barely. Today was one of those days, and the thought on her mind was 'how could I have been this stupid?'

* * *

_It had been a long week. The gang wars had spiked, leaving the citizens of the city feeling vulnerable and scared. Toph tried to reassure them by placing more agents around the more dangerous zones, but they were too few and too inexperienced. Eventually, she was forced to make a deal with a few of the leaders, just so they wouldn't attack innocent citizens. They would keep to themselves, and contact her should another gang encroach on their territory. They would then be arrested for trespassing. In exchange, the gangs wouldn't extend their territory, and they would not hurt innocent people. While many citizens were angry at her decision, Toph didn't really care. She had done what she thought she had to, and no one would convince her otherwise. Even Aang had agreed that she did the right thing, but then again, he was against all forms of violence. To celebrate her half victory, she had gone down to the local tavern, called Oasis._

_She had been there several times, and really enjoyed the atmosphere. It was relaxed, laid back, and no one knew who she was. It actually reminded her a lot like Aang. Except for the excessive booze and swearing. But that was the part of the club that reminded her of herself. While she didn't swear much at work, she had to constantly watch her tongue when she was around Aang's kid. Kaya? No, it was Katara's mothers name... Kya. Feeling the intoxicated youths dance around her, Toph couldn't help but smile. It was hard to believe what the city had become in just over a decade, and she had the honour of building its foundations. Perhaps she was a bit more intoxicated than she thought, or maybe it was the success of her week, but Toph felt less inhibited than usual. Feeling around, she could sense a heartbeat that she hadn't heard before. Sauntering over, drink in hand, she knew it was a guy by the weight, and the way he carried himself. Sure enough, the closer she got, the faster his heart beat._

_"Yep, still got it," Toph patted herself on her back. In a new city, most people didn't know she was blind, and by actually looking at people when they spoke to her, she could actually fool them. Grinning, she walked up to the newcomer, leaning on the wall next to him._

_"New in town?" she asked innocently, her intentions anything but. She had needs, and constantly hanging around the lovey-dovey Avatar made her crave the close contact that her two best friends shared._

_"Yea, I am actually. You're pretty observant for a blind chick," he commented, grinning at his luck. First day in town, and a hot girl was hitting on him!_

_"You're pretty observant for a meathead," she shot back, her grin as wide as his. She knew what he wanted, and this time she wasn't interested in playing hard to get. Thank Spirits he was a straightforward kinda guy._

_"Well, I'm bored here," he told her. "Wanna come back to my place?"_

_She raised her eyebrow at him. "I dunno, this is moving a little fast. Whatever happened to a first date?" She grinned wolfishly at him, relishing in the way his heart jumped erratically before grabbing the front of his shirt and dragging him down to her eye level, placing hot kisses all over his face, swallowing his lips in hers. Letting him go briefly, she pushed him towards the door._

_"Lead the way, Hotstuff!"_

* * *

Stupid, stupid! That was something Sokka did, or Ty Lee. She was Toph, not one to act on impulse, or do something so reckless. Yet here she was, stuck with the consequences of one uninhibited night. That was what irked her the most. Or, what would have irked her, had she been capable of any emotion above depressive or grief-stricken silence. She knew she had changed, from a healthy, happy young woman to one who felt a million years old. There had been a few times that Aang had come over to visit, but she always told Chihiro to turn him away. She was hurt that he had stopped coming to see her - had he forgotten about her? Perhaps he only ever really saw her as his Sifu. He had, after all, said it was her abilities to see that were amazing, not she herself. And every time he came over, they would discuss his work, his training, his life. She felt like his personal diary. But even after she had stopped accepting visitors, he kept returning, time and time again, trying to get her to see him. Today, after weeks of making Chihiro choose for her, Toph made a decision. Coming to the conclusion that it was unlikely he would return for a while (the last time was almost 2 weeks ago), she let Chihiro leave early. After all, who wants to look after a sick, pregnant blind girl all the time? Anyway, Chihiro would be back that evening to cook her dinner anyway. What could go wrong?

* * *

_It started at a time Toph assumed to be midmorning, although knowing her it could really be at any time. She was been lying in bed, mulling things over as she was wont to do. She vaguely realised that she hadn't moved from the bed in 2 days (or was it 3?), and she smelt as though mushrooms were growing under her armpits and something had died in her hair. For all she knew, it she did have mushrooms under her armpits._

_"Chihiro," she called to the maid. She felt bad that she had done nothing but clean up after her over the last few days while she braved a particularly bad bout of depression. She heard the reply as Chihiro stood outside the door, not wanting to enter what could only be described as a war zone. Toph ignored her apprehension._

_"I want you to go out today. Have… fun. Do something. There's some money…" she tried, she really did, but the fog that had settled on her mind a few days ago had yet to lift. She felt as though she should worry that she couldnt remember where she had put her little jar of savings. Though, it was times like these that she was glad she had someone like Chihiro to help her out._

_"The money has been put in a jar above the pantry, Toph," Chihiro interrupted her search through her memories, gently reminding her that at least one of them still had their wits. Despite having misgivings about leaving Toph alone, Chihiro knew that, even through the crippling depression, Toph was independent at heart. She just needed a day to remind herself off that._

_"If you're sure you will be fine, I'll take my leave. I don't need any of the money." With a slight bow that the earthbender barely bothered to feel, Chihiro left, calling behind her that she would be back later._

_Toph waited until she could hear the front door close to move. She didn't want the maid to see how she looked - if it was as bad as she felt, she must be death incarnate. Rolling off the bed, she landed lightly on the floor, relishing the contact. The smell of the ground, the feel of the dirt between her fingers gave her the strength to stand up. Making her way to the small bathroom joining her room, she barely registered the good job Chihiro had done keeping the rest of the house clean. She had been forbidden from entering Toph's room, but that just meant she worked extra hard to keep the rest of the house up to liveable standards. Not the Toph spent any time there anyway. Reaching the sink, Toph had a passing thought of tying her hair up before she dismissed it._

_"What was the point? It's not like I have anyone to please, least of all myself," she thought desolately. Moving through the house, trying to find the kitchen, Toph constantly ran into the earthen walls, not concentrating enough to avoid them. Just as she crossed the foyer, she heard a light tap on the door. Monkeyfeathers! She could sense it was Aang, and for what must have been the first time in months, she felt something other than, well, nothing. A brief flash of annoyance danced across her face before it disappeared._

_She was just about to walk away, when she heard Aangs voice through the hard wood. "Chihiro? It's Aang, could I come in?" Toph stopped walking away, and turned to face the door. She didn't really want to, but her limbs had a mind of their own as she walked over to the door and opened it, making sure to keep her swollen stomach hidden. She heard him start to say something before a gasp cut off whatever word had been forming. She knew she looked terrible, but she still didn't care. As it was, she was looking better than she had the last few months - Chihiro had forced her to take a bath just over a week ago._

_"Toph..." He said gently, and she inwardly cringed. She didn't want his pity, or his sympathy, or his help._

_"What?" Her voice was a bland monotone, and she knew that he had noticed. She wanted to put her usual attitude into her voice, convince him to leave, but she just couldn't summon the energy._

_"Are you... okay?" She could sense him mentally shake his head as she softly snorted, too quiet for him to hear. Of course she wasn't okay! Her life was down the drain, she had no idea what she was doing, and her best friend had abandoned her when she needed him most. But, she couldn't say that to him, so she went with the next best option._

_"I'm fine. What business is it of yours, anyway?" The words sounded like her, but she knew he wasn't convinced. She must look truly dreadful, she surmised, and for a second all she could feel of him was his heartbeat, a writhing mass of thumps and drums that were so unlike him. She heard him take another breath._

_"Toph! We care about you, we're worried! The gaang misses you, I miss you. I miss talking to you. I don't know what's wrong, but something is. I want to help,'' Toph felt him move, and knew he was about to push open the door. She anticipated his move, and bent a small mound of earth for the door to catch on. She knew she looked terrible, but for the first time in several months, she cared about what she looked like, and she definitely did not want him to see the rest of her. Just like that, all her insecurities came rushing back._

_"I don't need your help. Despite what everyone thinks, I'm not helpless, O Great and Powerful Avatar," she felt ill, but took the time to retort, her inner fire flaring up again before being quashed as bile made its way up her throat. Slamming her hand over her mouth, she threw the door shut and ran to the main bathroom, hearing Aang call her name before following her path through the house. She reached the bathroom just in time to throw up, losing what little food and liquid had been sitting there. She could hear Aangs cries all through the house (Toph? Toph!) and made sure her back was to the door. He wouldn't approach her, that much she knew._

_"Toph! What's wrong?! You can't say 'nothing' now." She felt him step hesitantly over the threshold of the room, before changing his mind and sitting cross legged next to the hinges of the door. Even though he didn't approach her, she knew that he wasn't going to leave her, not like this. She wanted to make him leave, but suddenly it felt as though the last few months had become years. She didn't have the strength to tell him to go; she was tired, the weight of months of dealing with this on her own finally being felt. While she didn't have the strength to demand he leave, she couldn't just roll over and let him have what he wanted. She still retained some fire._

_"Go away, Aang. I don't want to see you. I don't need your help. I don't want it; I'm fine on my own. I have been for the past 5 months," she took in several deep gasps, achieve the result of both calming (slightly) her upset stomach, and controlling the tears which threatened to spill over._

_"No, you aren't! Toph, I get that you like your independence, but this isn't about that. You can still be independent, and let the people who love you… you can let them help you." He wanted to help her? But, he didn't even know what was wrong! The blind earthbender looked over her left shoulder so that her ear was facing Aang, half her face concealed. She spoke, and couldn't prevent the little note of sadness crawl into her voice._

_"You can't help me. No-one can, I tried," she could tell he had noticed her change in attitude. The way he sat up a little straighter, and leaned forward as if he we going to clasp her shoulder, a gentle reminder that he was here for her._

_"Toph, will you please look at me? I won't judge you, nor laugh, no matter what has happened, okay?" She adjusted her position, uncomfortable with how straightforward he was being, while she danced around the issue. It defied the natural order of things. She moved again, allowing more of her face to be seen by her friend, sniffling slightly as though she were already crying. She wanted his help, but she needed a guarantee; a promise that he wouldn't abandon her again, that he would be supportive. A friend._

_"Promise? Promise you won't judge me, or laugh or…" she trailed off, fully aware that he couldn't have heard the last part of her sentence._

_"Pardon?" He had asked her to repeat herself, and although she didn't want to leave herself so vulnerable, she knew it was pointless - she couldn't appear any weaker if she tried. Or, maybe she could, as the tears she had held back for so one began to streak down her clammy, sunken cheeks._

_"Don't… don't leave me…" She had been prepared for his response, but it was nothing like she had expected. She though he would tell her gently that he could handle it, or tell her that he didn't want to know her secrets. It didn't occur to her, however, that he would react with such fervour. It was as if she had insulted his very being.._

_"Toph, I would never! Can you please tell me what's wrong? Even if I can't help you, I can still support you." Again, he wasn't lying, and she felt comforted by his soft yet steady heartbeats. Nodding slightly, she told him to please close his eyes. She could sense his apprehension before he followed her request. After all, she had said the 'P' word. She vaguely wondered if he was going to use his seismic sense to see what she was doing, and she hoped not. She didn't want him to sense this coming._

_Kneeling in front of him, Toph opened her arms before lunging at him, wrapping her arms securely around his middle, stomach pressing on his and her head in his chest. He stiffened slightly at the random nature of the act, before relaxing, rubbing his friend on her back, the way a father would a child. Toph could feel his eyes on her, and hoped he would make the connection Between her appearance and her weight._

_The tears were still fresh on her face, and more continued to leak over her unseeing eyes. She felt Aang move his hand from her back to wipe away a few of the fresher ones. While she still looked like Death warmed up, her skin had lost the clammy feeling, and her eyes were now clearer, the fog he had noticed over them lifting. It was then he noticed how thin she was. The baggy clothes she had been wearing had covered how spindly her arms had become, her hair had covered her cheeks. He looked at his friend kindly. But refused to look at he with pity - she would hate that. It was then he realised that despite having the body mass of a corpse, she was actually heavier than he remembered. He could feel a slight bulge resting on his stomach, and it was then he realised what had happened. It explained everything, why she had been absent from work, why she never stopped to visit him anymore, and never allowed him to visit her. She was ashamed._

_"Toph, are you - are you...?" He didn't finish the thought, as her slight nods gave him the answer he needed. Gently, he wiped away the tears which had begun to fall again._

_"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. I'm here for you," he whispered to her softly, knowing that while she said she didn't want his help - didn't need it - it was at this time that she was most desperate for her friend._

* * *

**A/N: If you actually read this all the way through to the end, leave a review to tell me what you thought. Was it too long? Too boring, too OOC? Thanks for sticking this far, and there will be another chapter. I have finished writing it, and it will be posted within a few days, hopefully... **

**As always, thanks for reading this far :)**


	3. Family

**A/N: Finally! I managed to get out the final chapter. Thanks for sticking with me, if you did. I actually have another story underway, but I might write a oneshot. Just tell me what you guys want!**

**I would just like to say, this was incredibly difficult to write. Not only have I never experienced childbirth, I've never seen it happen, either. That's part of the reason why it took me so long to release this. I spent several virtually sleepless nights, and a lot of time daydreaming at work to figure out exactly what I wanted from this story. **

**Also, if you guys like this story, go and check out my songfic. I had to post it on the Avatar Wikia site (they aren't as uptight about it over there). Just remove the spaces and you're on your way!  
_avatar. wikia/Fanon:Friday,_I'm_in_Love_**

**_Note: I have upped Kya's age from 2 to 5, because I couldn't keep her so young, and have the story work._**

**Read, review, and have fun!**

**Disclaimer: I own avatar. It's why I'm pairing Toph and Aang, and writing fanfiction about it (sarcasm intended).**

* * *

Looking over the top of _The Republic City Herald_, Aang could see Toph playing with her breakfast, barely touching the warm rice pudding. Sighing audibly, he folded up the paper and made his way to the young woman. It had been three months since he had learnt of her predicament, two weeks before she was due, and he had barely left her side in all that time. It had been difficult convincing the United Council that he wasn't being lazy, that he had to help the chief. It had also been difficult convincing her to move in with him, but he had done it, only on the condition that he not reveal that she was pregnant; only those on Air Temple Island knew of her circumstances, and they wouldn't tell anyone. The gang wars had spiked again, and with no chief (well, no Toph), and no Avatar, the Council was having a difficult time keeping everything under control. Aang had been called in - several times - and each time he had been halfway out the door before he realised that he needed to help Toph first. The council, particularly Councilman Kinoko, believed him to be a selfish, lying, cheating man; a good for nothing Avatar. It was those words which convinced him above all else that his place, at least for the time being, was with Toph.

Making his way over to the woman in question, he gently clasped her hands in his, relieving the metal spoon from her grasp. Pulling her bowl towards his body, he scooped up the sweetened rice, before sliding the spoon into her mouth. Toph fought against him for a short moment, but she soon gave up, eating the food with little argument.

Smiling at her, Aang put the empty bowl down on the table. He knew she was fine, she just wasn't particularly hungry. After she moved in with him, she had become decidedly more dependent. No, not dependent; she was still just as independent as before, but now she allowed him to take care of her. Sometimes, he thought she just liked being looked after, just like Kya; Aang moved to the other side of the table where his daughter was currently drawing pictures using her breakfast.

"Daddy! I made a painting!" Aang sat down next to his daughter, not caring that rice was seeping into the cracks of the wood, and would be next to impossible to clean out. He always encouraged fun, and he knew that if Kya was hungry, she would eat her food.

"It looks fantastic, Sweetie! What is it?"

"Silly! There's me," the five year old pointed to a glob of rice. "And there's you, Daddy!" She pointed to a different pile, this one with definite human features. Well, it had a body at least. "And this is Aunty Toph. Have a look, Aunty!" Toph remained where she was, looking away from the young girl. Aang noticed his daughters crestfallen face, and moved to comfort her.

"Honey, Aunty Toph would love to look at your food, but she can't see. She doesn't even know what I look like!" He tried comforting the young girl, but only seemed to make her more confused.

"Why not? Doesn't she want to look at your face? That's mean! I like looking at you, Daddy, especially when you have a hairy chin." She giggled, a high pitched, adorable little laugh and Aang couldn't help but laugh too.

"No, Aunty Toph would love to see me, but she can't. Her eyes don't work."

"How does she see where she's going then?"

"Yeah, _Aunty Toph_, how do you see where you're going?" Aang turned to the earthbender, and was shocked to find tears running down her face. She hadn't completely gotten over her ordeal, but he hadn't seen her cry in several weeks. She had been highly emotional in the beginning, but eventually the old Toph began to resurface. Granted, she was still subdued, and she had a shorter tempter than usual, but she had gotten better. She could even tolerate Kya, playing with the young girl for hours on end. It was a while after she had let Aang back into her life, but eight-and-a-half months after she became pregnant, she finally had the same glow as Katara, despite her outlook on life still being generally pessimistic.

Aang ran around the table to hold his friend. He had discovered it was better to hold her when she was upset, comfort her and _not_ talk about her 'moment of weakness' afterwards. Holding the earthbender in his arms, Aang tried comforting her, but without knowing the reason why she was crying, he didn't get very far.

Taking a deep breath, the earthbender was able to slow the tears; she was unable to stop them completely, however, and Aang had to use his thumb to wipe them away.

"It's not fair," she said in a small voice. He knew she wasn't talking about the actual pregnancy - after she had begun to live with him on Air Temple Island, she had come to terms with the situation, even looking forward to it some days. Patiently, he waited for her to continue talking again, knowing that a prompt might have the opposite effect, and cause her to clamp up.

"I'll never be able to see my child, tell it that it's gorgeous... I won't be able to see him.. or her... smile, or frown, or cry..."

"Sh... its okay, Toph. Thats why I'm here. To tell you exactly what they're like..." Suddenly, a small hand found its way into hers, and Toph jumped slightly when she felt a pair of small arms curl around her middle.

"If she looks like you, she's going to be prettier than me!" Kya announced to the stricken woman, her hands leaving Toph and being thrown into the air, almost triumphantly. Toph could feel no trace of hesitation or deceit in the young girls vibrations, and slowly stopped trembling, bringing in the child for a warm hug.

"She really is just like Katara, isn't she?" Toph murmured to Aang, who nodded in response. "When is she returning?"

"Katara? Any day now, I think. She left Kyoshi Island about half a week ago..." Aang thought of his wife and second child. The waterbender had been gone far longer than either of them had expected. She had been needed at Kyoshi Island - Suki had miscarried, and the couple needed all the help they could get. Subsequently, Katara had ended up giving birth on the Island. She had sent a letter to her husband only a few days ago to tell him that she was coming home, and that Suki and Sokka were coming too, their children in tow. Aang didn't mind - he loved children, and had even begun preparing the temple with Toph. It always amused him, watching her run around cleaning, preparing the giant structure for the baby. Granted, she spent most of her time outside, gardening and landscaping, but that was her way of getting ready. Katara had preferred to clean and do laundry. Actually, she had been so effective that the maids had had nothing to do for over a month. Aang had never felt the urge to do it with her. When Toph began nesting, however, he had felt compelled to clean with her. This had been just after she moved in, and about to start her third trimester.

"Come on Kya. Twinkletoes has a meeting with the White Lotus that's going to drag on, and on. Lets go to the pond, see if you can bend today," Toph had wiped the tears from her face, and was smiling at the young girl, who in turn had a mixture of apprehension, worry and glee on her face. Aang sighed at the scene.

"Toph, I wish you wouldn't try and get her to waterbend without Katara being here. It's a milestone, she'll be incredibly upset if she misses it"

"Yea, well, she gave birth to your first son on an island in the middle of nowhere. You deserve to see something she hasn't. It's only fair." Taking the young girl's hand, she gently led her out of the kitchen, the sight of her waddling causing Aang to smile, not really upset with her. She was right, after all. Sighing, he cleaned up the kitchen before making his way to the small meeting room. He was going to be stuck in there for hours, despite knowing exactly what he wanted to do for the next Avatar. It was the White Lotus that didn't know what they wanted. Mentally steeling himself for the long day ahead, he entered the meeting room.

* * *

"I can't do it."

Kya was close to crying, devastated that she couldn't bend when her mother and father were both world famous masters. Toph sighed sadly, but made no move to console the girl. She knew the three year old could bend. Or, she knew the child had the _ability_ to bend, but she was still unable to manipulate the water.

"You can do it, Kya, you have stronger chi paths than many other children your age," Toph tried to tell the girl, but she wasn't listening anymore. Having an idea, Toph turned away from her.

"It's okay to be weak, you know. Your parents won't love you any less."

Kya stopped crying, and glared up the at pregnant woman.  
"I'm not weak! Just because I can't bend doesn't mean I'm weak!"

Toph merely shrugged at the girl.  
"I don't know. Maybe you got your uncle's genes. He can't bend, and he isn't very strong. He's not even the sharpest tool in the shed." Toph was lying through her teeth, but Kya had only met her uncle once or twice, and didn't remember him all that well. The earthbender smiled when she felt the girl running towards her, fists raised. Deftly moving to the side, Toph dodged the small, unpracticed punches Kya threw at her. She may have been untrained, but she was furious, and had aggression on her side. Blocking some of the stronger punches, Toph kept taunting the girl, although without malicious intent. Not that it made a difference to Kya. She was furious at the pregnant woman, angry that she thought she was weak. Bringing her right arm up, Kya moved to hit Toph on her outer leg, as high as she could reach, when she was blocked yet again. She couldn't believe she was failing (_I am weak_, she thought miserably) and so she was surprised when the older woman was knocked to the side anyway. Running over to her, Kya was terrified she had hurt Toph. Aang had made sure to tell her that Toph was strong, but the little person inside her wasn't, so Kya had to be extra careful. Kneeling in front of the earthbender, the young girl was surprised when she saw her smiling, and soaking wet.

"Congratulations, Kya! You can waterbend," Toph hugged the young girl, who had already forgotten the harsh words spoken moments before. Releasing the girl, she stood up, only to be floored by a sharp pain in her stomach. Gasping slightly, she clutched her stomach, the pain leaving almost as soon as it had begun.

"I'm okay," she shooed away the girl, slowly standing up. Smiling, she moved back to the pond.  
"Let's see you try that again, without the anger."

* * *

Several hours, and dozens of cramps later, Toph lead the smiling waterbender from the pond into the kitchen. After so much exercise, both were starving. Toph would like to have waited for Aang, however he was still in his early morning meeting. Fixing up a simple fruit salad, Toph watched in silence as Kya shoved food into her mouth, making small noises of happiness. Toph found it hard to believe that in only a few short months, her entire attitude towards the girl had changed. She had always thought Kya to be a screaming, crying weapon of mass destruction, tearing at plants, running around, and just generally being a nuisance. She had (somewhat stupidly) assumed that she could continue her life as it was, without interacting with the girl too much. Toph let out a low laugh. It was probably due to this child she had recovered at all. Aang had been wonderful, but he really had no idea how to help her. _She_ had no idea how to help her. It was one, tiny, insignificant hug from the five year old which was the catalyst for her healing. A small "_I'm here for you_" which turned her life around. She had promised herself that she wouldn't change her life because of the child in her womb, but it seemed that life changed her. Standing, she took the now empty bowl from the grinning child. The same pain from earlier came back, increased in intensity, but she fully ignored it - she had felt worse before. That is, until her dress became soaked, and she felt the colour drain from her face.

"Aunty Toph, you forgot to go to the bathroom," Kya's innocent voice floated over to her, and she felt her move towards the sink. Kneeling down gently, Toph took both of Kya's hands in her own.

"Kya, you know how Daddy told you there was a little person living in me?" She felt a faint vibration - the way her body moved, Kya must have nodded.  
"Well, this just means that they want to come out and meet everyone. I need you to help me find your father, okay?"

Standing up, she allowed herself to be lead from the kitchen, pulled gently along by the precocious child. She couldn't see very well on the wooden floors - Aang had told the acolytes to not clean the floors, and even brought in dirt just so Toph could see where she was going. The spasms in her abdomen hadn't left, if anything becoming stronger. Several times, Toph had to stop and breath her way through them. They had left the main part of the house, moving towards one of the smaller buildings. Aang absolutely refused to do work in the same building where he slept, and ate. The same building as he spent time with his family. Generally, she loved the idea, the separation of work and life, but today she was cursing his decision. She stopped walking, barely suppressing the urge to destroy something.  
''_It would be better if she left._'' A faint voice in the back of her head reminded her that it probably wasn't safe for the five year old to be around her at the moment. Stopping, she leant down to face her best friend's child.

"Kya? I'm- I'm going to just wait here, okay? Can you tell your dad to come as soon- now?" She felt the waterbender nod before scampering off. Clutching her stomach, Toph fell forward, inadvertently sending tremors through the entire island and accidentally knocking over a pair of acolytes who were meditating. Slowly standing up, she began to walk towards the work building. She couldn't just wait for Aang to come, she had to go to him.

But, at her own pace.

* * *

"We have to keep them safe. I believe a compound would do just the trick. Protect them from any adversity whilst they master the elements."

Aang closed his eyes.  
''_Stupid! That would possibly only stunt their growth, maybe physically, maybe spiritually. They need to understand the world before they can have a hope to help it.''_

Aloud, he told them that he would think over the idea, before allowing his mind to wander, just as it did all those months ago in the Council Chambers, despite the fact he should definitely be listening. He didn't care though, and as he directed his thoughts to Toph, he was barely able to keep the glee from his face.

''_Two weeks_,'' he thought happily. ''_Two weeks, and there will be a new member of the Gaang..._"  
Smiling to himself, he thought of the young earthbender, proud of her (and himself, although he would never voice that). Barely three months had passed, and already she was her old self again. Well, mostly. She still had episodes some days, days where he couldn't make her get out of bed, no matter what. Days where the only people she would see would be Chihiro (the maid had moved in with them, becoming Toph's personal lady-in-waiting) and Kya. Despite feeling slightly sad that she didn't want to see him, he was also proud that she had accepted his daughter so freely; even more so, he was proud of Kya, and her willingness to keep trying, keep talking and helping Toph, even if she didn't know what was wrong or why. So much had changed in so little time.

Before, when she had just moved in, she was a snarky, pessimistic woman, issues that couldn't just be blamed on the pregnancy. She didn't want to leave her bed, preferring to lie there all day, unseeing eyes staring at the ceiling. Once, only a few days after she had moved in, Aang had walked over to give her some food, only to find her sobbing inconsolably in the corner of the dark room, talking to him just as much as herself. He remembered the words, and they had hurt him, although not as much as he knew they killed Toph.

''_You take it! I don't want it, this- this thing, it was an accident, a _mistake_. I can't do this. I don't want it!_''

He knew the simple sentence had cut her deeply; after all, what kind of mother hated her child? He saw her eyes widen as she said this, before breaking down again. Guilty sobs wracked her chest, and he moved towards her. Too late, as a small figure darted in before he could reach the miserable woman.

"Don't cry, Aunty Toph. I'm here for you, me and Daddy," Kya confidently placed her small arms around Toph's ever growing stomach. Aang saw a brief flash of surprise cross his oldest friend's face, before it passed and she was sobbing miserably into the then four year old's tunic. He moved towards her, supporting her weight as he hugged her, feeling the tears, _her_ tears, soak his outfit. The three of them sat there for only the spirits know how long, just comforting one another.

It had been one of the worst, and best days of his life.

"Perhaps we can continue this meeting another day, gentlemen? It is a lovely day outside, and I wish to enjoy it before the season changes." He turned to the half-dozen members of the White Lotus, beaming at his own suggestion. The group looked at him with the same exasperated expression.

"Avatar, we understand that you have been more... Carefree since the earthbender joined the island, however don't you think that this issue takes precedence?"

"Nope," Aang broadened his smile before walking out of the room, a spring in his step. He noticed Kya running towards him.

"Kya! How did practise go? Where's Toph?" He reached out to pick up his daughter as she catapulted into his arms, hugging him tightly.

"I'm a waterbender, Daddy! Aunty Toph made me angry and I accidentally sent some water to her.

"You know, that's how Aunty Toph taught Daddy to earthbend," he told his daughter as he carried her through the halls, walking back the way she had come. "Did you run away from Toph?" He asked her, his voice chastising, but not serious. Toph could take care of herself.

"No," she answered innocently. "Aunty Toph forgot to go to the bathroom and said that it meant the baby wanted to meet me."

Aang stopped walking, his eyes wide and the colour drained from his face.  
"Kya, where is Toph?" His voice was low and controlled, even though he felt as though his heart would burst from his chest.

"She sat down near the cherry blossom orchard..." Kya was worried. She had never heard her father sound like this before. Putting down his daughter, Aang turned to the waterbender, holding her shoulders so she faced him.

"Kya, Daddy has to help Aunty Toph, okay? She's never had a baby before, and this will be a scary time, okay?" He took a hold of her hand and ran towards the cherry orchard, hearing several terrified screams.

"Hold on, Toph, I'm coming..."

* * *

Screams filled the air, although they weren't coming from the most likely person. Toph bit her lip, drawing blood as another contraction spread through her body. Unconsciously, she bent a slab of earth, this time catching an unfortunate maid bringing in the laundry. The terrified woman's screams alerted Toph to what she had done, and the earthbender lowered the slab, none too gently. She was in too much pain to care. Stumbling along, she made her way towards the main house, searching for a specific footstep. Grimacing, she clenched her teeth when she felt the heartbeat of the one person she desperately needed. Plus his daughter's.

"Toph! Wha- are you okay? Kya said... What's happening?!" Aang ran to embrace her, his tone showing his worry. Whether it was for the poor maid's safety, or Toph's sanity, she didn't know. Probably both. Grabbing the lapels of the airbender, Toph dragged the tall man down so her face was centimetres from his.

"Going by the pain," she growled softly, "I would hazard to guess that the baby is sick of being in me, and wants out." She released Aang, and grabbed her stomach, accidentally sending a pillar of stone at the Avatar. Dodging it with practised ease (she really, _really_ liked sparring), Aang quickly turned to the maid she had recently released and began issuing orders.

"Asi, I need you to send for the midwife. Now, Kya, I need you to go and get the Acolytes, and tell them Toph is having her baby, and to stay away from the main house." He smiled grimly as his daughter rushed off to follow his order.

"No time," Toph's voice, barely a whisper compared to its usual standard, wafted to the two adults, and Aang looked at her, seeing the beads of pain in her eyes, his own staring back laden with fear. He had only ever done this when Kya was born, and then he had had his wife, who had been delivering children before he was free from the iceberg, and the midwife who had been delivering for decades. He desperately needed the help of a professional, but the midwife that had been assigned to Toph had to travel in from the mainland; the baby wasn't even due for another two weeks, it was highly probable that the midwife would be unavailable anyway. Aang was terrified; there was no telling what kind of damage the earthbender would do, especially when she was in so much pain, and he had a feeling he would be needed to control the damage she caused. He couldn't do it alone.

He had intended on leading her to her room - it was where she had spent the most time, it was hers; the only place on the entire island that was for her use exclusively. Unfortunately, the baby had. other plans. Clutching Aang's hand, Toph moved back until she hit a tree, sliding down the rough bark until she hit the ground. Pulling him down to her level, she whispered to the young avatar.

"It's coming, Aang," she whimpered, her breathing heavy and laborious.

He would have bent her a small tub - Katara had had a water birth, and he wasn't sure what to do otherwise - however he had a feeing that Toph would hurt him before he had a chance. He stood up and let go of her hand, eliciting a small cry from her. Looking back at the prone woman, he realised where her fear was coming from.

"Toph, I need to go back to the house to get some cloths, okay? I'll be less than a minute..." He waited for her nod before moving again, returning as soon as he said he would laden with clean cloths and towels. Toph hadn't moved, instead remaining below the cherry blossom tree. As Aang bent some earth into a pot, pulling water from the salty air, a particularly painful contraction hit Toph, causing her to cry out before biting her lips shut.

"Shh, it'll be okay. This is your first child, okay? It's going to feel strange, and its going to take some time." He gently wiped her forehead with a sodden rag.

"I can't wait - _it_ can't wait. Please, Aang," she was trembling, her skin clammy to touch. "I can't do this alone."

He shushed the terrified woman. "I'm not going anywhere." Despite his misgivings, despite how much he did _not_ want to be the one to deliver Toph's baby, he also knew that he was the only one she would let see her in such a vulnerable state. Fortunately for him, it wasn't his decision to make. Being blind had made Toph shameless about her body, and being in pain meant that it was almost assured that she would hurt him if he _didn't_ look. Taking a deep breath, he lifted the hem of the dress she had begun wearing when she could no longer fit into pants. What he saw almost made him faint on the spot. It was only looking into the eyes of his terrified friend that convinced him not to lose it then and there. He had fainted - multiple times - during Kya's birth, but he could afford to. Katara had been with a midwife, surrounded by her family. Toph had no one but him. Eyes wide, he could see that while she wasn't quite ready to give birth, there was no chance the midwife would make it in time, if she could come at all.

"Okay, Toph, you're going to hate me for saying this, but it isn't time for the baby to come out yet. Your body is still getting ready, okay? You have to be a little patient."

Toph gave another whimper, clenching the ground so hard it turned to sand. At least she wasn't sending pillars of earth his way - the pain had rendered her flaccid, only tensing up when her muscles clenched.

"I thought the pain meant it wanted out!" The pain was causing her to ramble, and there was very little Aang could do to make her feel better.

"It's okay, it's just your body getting ready to get rid of it. Shh, its okay..." he gave her a small, comforting kiss on her brow.

"I want to try something," he told the blind woman. Toph complied with his request, barely in control of her own actions. Gently warming his hands with his firebending, Aang placed his palms on her abdomen, making small, circular movements. He continued this for several minutes, noting happily that it definitely made a difference to Toph. Her breathing became softer, smoother, and her body shuddered less severely. Aang continued his ministrations, holding onto the hope that the midwife would still make it in time. He knew it was a futile dream, though, as only a few short minutes later, he felt a change come over Toph. She had long since stopped whimpering, preferring to carry the pain in silence, but one contraction caused her to scream out, the most heart wrenching sound he had ever heard her make. Tears began streaming down her face, and she looked at him with blind eyes.

"What's happening, Aang?"

He had completely forgotten that Toph had never experienced this before, and it crossed his mind that perhaps this wasn't _all_ instinctual, it merely seemed that way because Katara had taken such control.

''_Then again, she had been helping women give birth for years_,'' he thought to himself. Aloud, he turned to Toph.

"Okay, I need to have another look, but I think it's time," he moved his hands from her stomach to check her again. She was fully dilated; the baby was definitely coming.

Leaning back towards her, Aang wiped the layer of perspiration from her forehead.  
"Don't worry, okay? The baby's coming, but you don't need to rush it. When the next contraction comes, I want you to push, can you do that, Toph?"

She shook her head, taking short, sharp breaths while she rode out the remainder of the spasm.

"Aang... Aang I can't... I can't do this," she cried, tears streaming down her face.

"You can do it Toph. You're the strongest, bravest person I know. If Sugar Queen can do this - twice - you can do it."

Toph giggled feebly, her nickname for Katara sounding strange coming from him, before groaning in pain again.

"Aang, Aang I-" she gasped as a contraction spread through her body. Aang didn't tell her to push; she knew what to do, and him talking would only distract her. That wasn't to say he didn't let her know that he was there, supporting her, helping her if she needed it. He would wipe the sweat from her brow, and gently rub her cheeks, just comforting her with his touch.

"Th-thank you, Aang," she told him breathlessly, talking small gasps. She would have said more, but it was time to push again. She didn't speak again, and he didn't reply. They both needed to focus on the task ahead.

Every time a contraction spread through her, she would grunt, and every time she grunted Aang would kiss her forehead, whispering, encouraging her. Checking her, he saw the baby crowning; it wouldn't be long now.

"Toph? The baby is crowning. Do you know what that means?" A small shake told him that she didn't. Aang began to tell her, knowing that she probably wasn't absorbing anything he was saying.

"It means that the babie's head is visible. This part shouldn't hurt too much, but it will feel uncomfortable. Just keep doing what you're doing, and it will be fine. I'm here Toph, don't worry," he added when he saw her eyes widen, the fear obvious.

The sun had long since set, and Aang was beginning to feel the chill of the ocean breeze. Using his firebending, he lit one of the hibiscus shrubs, allowing the sudden warmth to was over them.

Turning his focus back on Toph, he held her hand, waiting and supporting her. She was barely conscious of what he was doing, living from contraction to contraction, pushing when she had to and relaxing when she didn't. She felt a strange clunk, but couldn't dwell on it. She screamed, an anguished cry of pain and frustration, and all Aang could do was hold her hand close and murmur comfortingly. He hadn't left her side once, not to check for the midwife, not to have a break himself. Crying out, she felt her muscles clench, this one far worse than the others. She could hear Aang talking to her.

"Only a few more to go Toph. Come on, you can do it..." Squeezing her eyes shut, she pushed, harder than her previous ones. She wanted the baby out of her, and chose to believe Aang when he said that it wasn't long. Feeling the pressure in her abdomen build up again, she took a deep breath before pushing, screaming out in pain and frustration as she did so.

"One more, Toph! One more big push!"

She didn't cry out this time. She felt something come loose, the pressure being released as something behind the baby helped it exit her. Lying back, she could feel Aang doing something, probably wrapping it. She could hear him whooping with joy, before his cries were drowned out by another crying. Aang moved up next to her, her baby in his arms as she exhaustedly lay her head on his shoulders.

"You want to hold her?"

Toph nodded, a yawn escaping her.

"Her? It's a girl?"

"She sure is. A beautiful baby girl..." Aang gently placed the baby, no longer crying, on her Mother's chest. Toph gently offered her breast to the child, grinning when the newborn took it hungrily. "Congratulations, Toph, you're a mum..." He gave her a kiss on her forehead, and she gave a small smile.

"Toph?" A new voice entered the yard, and Aang turned to see Katara standing a few yards away, baby in her arms and Kya holding her hand. Standing a few paces away were Sokka and Suki, each holding a sleeping toddler.

"Hey, guys... Whattup?" Toph grinned tiredly at her friends; she was somewhat surprised that she hadn't sensed them, but considering what she went through that day, the shock didn't last long.

"I think I should be asking you that... What happened?" Katara sounded worried, terrified of something.

"Oh, nothing... I just had a baby..."

"I can see that..." Katara would have said more, had Kya not dropped her hand and darted over to Toph, worry etched on her young face.

"Are you okay, Aunty Toph?" She sat on her father's lap, looking curiously at the baby. "Did the baby hurt you? Bad baby!" She scolded the feeding newborn. Toph laughed a light, airy laugh.

"It wasn't the baby's fault... I'm fine, Kya. Now I need to think of a name... I'm thinking... Lin. Yeah, I like that. Lin. What do you think Aang?" She felt Katara's heartbeat pick up, and suddenly realised why she was being so distant.

"Katara, come here," she requested. The waterbender complied, but her moves were sluggish, as though she really didn't want to approach her exhausted friend. After giving up possession of Bumi to Aang (who had a giant grin on his face from holding his son for the first time), she knelt down next to Toph, avoiding eye contact with her husband. Smiling at the waterbender, Toph lifted her hand an promptly slapped her before pulling her into a tight hug.

Kya cried out, and Aang looked at the new mother in shock.

"Toph!"  
"Aunty Toph! Why did you hit mummy?"

Toph ignored them, whispering in Katara's ear.  
"How could you even think that of me, Katara? That would be a very big mistake, and she - _Lin_," Toph indicated to the bundle in her arms. "Was not a mistake.

"I'm sorry Toph... Who is the father? Why isn't he here?"

"He isn't in the picture. Never was," she told her friend before lying back completely exhausted. She hadn't the energy to stay awake too much longer, but she would, feeling the clumsy footsteps of Sokka approaching. They were heavy, laden with worry, stress... Guilt. She felt the last one as he looked to his wife, gently bringing her along with him.

"Well, I didn't think you had it in you, to be honest Toph..."

"What part? The part where I make a baby, I let it grow inside me, or actually having it?"

She sounded slightly sad at his words; she knew she wasn't really the maternal type, but to hear one of her oldest friends say that he didn't think she could do this really hurt her.

"All of it, I guess... So, where _is_ the dad? Did he... Pass?"

"I don't know."

"Did he have to work?"

"I _don't _know."

"Where is he?"

"_I. Don't. Know_."

Realisation was dawning on the Water Tribe siblings' faces, and they both shared the same expression.

"Do you even know who the father is?"

"Let's get one thing straight. There is no father, no dad. There never was," Toph knew this conversation would come, she was just hoping that it could have waited until the morning. Katara lay a gentle hand on Toph's arm.

"Toph, you need a man to make a baby..."

Toph looked at her scathingly.

"Yes, Katara, you do need a man. I obviously know that, _I have a baby_. You don't need a father to make a baby, though. Like you said, you just need a man."

"But Toph! A baby needs a family, stability! You have work, you can't do this alone."

Toph turned her head to the waterbender, before closing her eyes.

"Kya?"

"Yes, Aunty Toph?'"

"What's a family?"

Kya put her finger on her chin, thinking hard about the question.

"I think... A family is a group of people who love each other. I love Lin, so she is my family; even though she can't tell me, I know she loves me too," Kya smiled happily, and moved over to look at the baby again.

"I like the name Lin. I'm Kya, and we're going to be best friends."

Toph turned her head to face her friend.

"She doesn't need a father. All her family, all _my_ family, is right here." She looked down at her new baby and smiled.

* * *

Lin looked up at her beaming mother as she blew out the candles on her cake. Well, tried to blow them out.

"Tenzin! I have 16 candles to blow out. Stop bending the air, or one of them is going to find it way up your-"

"Happy birthday, Lin!" Katara's voiced interrupted what was possibly not just an empty threat, and Tenzin ceased his antagonising, allowing the teenage earthbender to blow out the candles. Moving away from the cake, she looked up at her mother, identical tears running down their faces. Pulling her into a tight hug, the older woman knelt down to whisper to her daughter.

"Happy birthday, Sweetie. I love you," she told her quietly, not loud enough for anyone else to hear. It used to bother Lin that her mother never told her around other people. She had already been told of the circumstances of her conception - after all, there were very few people at her school without fathers. Generally, it was because they were working in the city, and had to stay there. She was the only one who didn't have a father who wanted her. It had made her feel upset, to say the least. But, with the help of Kya, she managed to see past that.

_"What does it feel like to be wanted? To have a family, a complete family, that loves you?" Lin voiced these insecurities to her best friend more than three years ago, finally working up the courage to ask such question._

_"What do you mean? You have a family. We're your family. You wanna know the first words I said to you? I told Aunt Toph and my mother what a family was. I said that a family is people, who may not be related by blood or birth, but who love each other unconditionally. You know why they asked? Mum didn't believe that you could have a family without a Dad. Heh, we sure proved that wrong, sis." Kya winked at her friend. Despite the age gap, they had always gotten along. Like sisters, really._

Looking around at the group of people she was surrounded by, Lin, not for the first time, realised just how special her family was. She loved them.


End file.
